engine removal 101
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,276
Likes: 337
From: "ɹǝpunuʍop", Adelaide, South Australia
engine removal 101
i need to remove the engine from my stock 350 72 auto, plan is to leave the trans in the car,
i know, remove the hood, then the basics like fan, rad, alt, ps pump etc.
what about the ac compressor?, dosent look like it will move too far out of the way, woulb prefer no to have to de-gas it.
do i remove as much weight as possible from the engine b4 i lift it out?
ie; carb & dissy (to advoid damage mainly), exh manifolds etc.
how do i support the bell housing/trans when engine is removed?
will need to move the car around once it's all out to work on detailing the bay.
have acces to a pit and block n tackle to do the lifting.
never removed an engine out of a vette before.
so is there a step by step procedure on here that i can follow?
any advice?
i know, remove the hood, then the basics like fan, rad, alt, ps pump etc.
what about the ac compressor?, dosent look like it will move too far out of the way, woulb prefer no to have to de-gas it.
do i remove as much weight as possible from the engine b4 i lift it out?
ie; carb & dissy (to advoid damage mainly), exh manifolds etc.
how do i support the bell housing/trans when engine is removed?
will need to move the car around once it's all out to work on detailing the bay.
have acces to a pit and block n tackle to do the lifting.
never removed an engine out of a vette before.
so is there a step by step procedure on here that i can follow?
any advice?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 803
Likes: 4
From: Christchurch, New Zealand
You don't have to remove the hood. I've had my engine out twice so far. I left the stock exhaust manifolds connected to the pipes, just unbolting them from the heads and pulling out of the way. Remove the water pump and bottom pulley, but leave the harmonic balancer in place. I used a small trolley jack to hold the trans in place.. I used an engine crane on casters myself. No load leveler, although it would have made life easier. Like yourself, I had never done it before. I searched for how to using the search function here on the forum. The second time I had to remove the engine, it took less than an hour by myself!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 925
Likes: 7
I agree, from the side is the way to go. Most engine cranes don't have a boom long enough to reach in from the front either.
You can get a big block in and out from the side with the hood on. One thing you might do to give you a little more room - the hood opens significantly more than where is sits with the factory hood support. Open it up and you should see a hole in the channel support that's pinned to the hood. Put a bolt through the hole and then lower the hood so the bolt sits on the lower support. That will give you another 3" or so of clear opening to maneuver the engine around without hitting the hood.
You can get a big block in and out from the side with the hood on. One thing you might do to give you a little more room - the hood opens significantly more than where is sits with the factory hood support. Open it up and you should see a hole in the channel support that's pinned to the hood. Put a bolt through the hole and then lower the hood so the bolt sits on the lower support. That will give you another 3" or so of clear opening to maneuver the engine around without hitting the hood.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 5,086
Likes: 786
From: Lebanon Township New Jersey
As for how to support the trans so the car can be moved while the engine is out - I use a piece of pipe that is just long enough to span from one frame rail to the other. I put that just in front of the trans bellhousing. Then I use bailing wire through the trans bolt holes and around the pipe. Crude but effective.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 8,351
Likes: 75
From: Tampa Bay FL
As for how to support the trans so the car can be moved while the engine is out - I use a piece of pipe that is just long enough to span from one frame rail to the other. I put that just in front of the trans bellhousing. Then I use bailing wire through the trans bolt holes and around the pipe. Crude but effective.
If I had to do it over, I would have pulled trans with my engine as I had to install motor mounts once I had engine nearly in place; I could not get it to drop in (even with a leveler) with them installed and transmission in the chassis.
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Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,482
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
It's a heckuva lot easier if you do.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 8,117
Likes: 104
From: charlotte north carolina
you can remove the hood flying solo by using the engine hoist to support the rear end(a lot of sexual innuendos here) of the hood. once it's clear of the car it's easy to handle.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,503
Likes: 33
From: McGrady NC
St. Jude Donor '15-'16
When I swapped out the motor in my 80 I had no idea it might be easier to remove the hood. So I just unbolted everything, cleaned off the front of the engine (water pump, etc.) and pulled it out. The new one went back in the same way. The automatic trans converter lined up easy and I dropped it right back in. I, too, was flying solo with no problems. It took a long Saturday to get it swapped and the new one running but it wasn't too bad.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 925
Likes: 7
Certainly take your hood off if you want. The reason I suggest not doing it is if 1) you're happy with your hood alignment, 2) you can hit a pothole without the hood popping open and 3) if you are working by yourself. I owned my current car for 2 years before I got it set up where I could drive over RR tracks or a jellybean without having the passenger side hood latch release. I'm not in a hurry to undo that. I'm also always buy myself doing the engine swap job.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,948
Likes: 72
From: Oxford MA-----You just lost the game!!!!
I have decided to do it until I need glasses, and then quit.
And, yeah, taking the hood off aand putting it back on is way easier than dealing with it still on.......if you have a helper. Either way, ya just do what ya gotta do, right?
Scott
And, yeah, taking the hood off aand putting it back on is way easier than dealing with it still on.......if you have a helper. Either way, ya just do what ya gotta do, right?
Scott
Pro
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 737
Likes: 3
From: Pennington NJ
Just removed and installed a new engine in my 1974 Corvette 4 speed. I removed all auxiliary items from the engine, including the intake, exhaust headers, starter, fuel pump, water pump, alternator, brackets, PS pump, hoses and anything else I'm not thinking of. This made it, along with the hood removed, easiest and safest to work on and remove without damage to the car. I also had the car on jack stands in front and the parking brake and wheel chocks on the rear.
4 speed was left in place, supported by a jack and wood block while it was out.
I lifted the engine with two grade 8 bolts and heavy gauge chain in the intake bolt holes in the heads on opposing sides, using the engine tilter thing.
On reinstall, I bolted on the bare minimum and it the whole process went smoothly. Just document and bag all bolts and keep everything organized.
Good luck!
Will
4 speed was left in place, supported by a jack and wood block while it was out.
I lifted the engine with two grade 8 bolts and heavy gauge chain in the intake bolt holes in the heads on opposing sides, using the engine tilter thing.
On reinstall, I bolted on the bare minimum and it the whole process went smoothly. Just document and bag all bolts and keep everything organized.
Good luck!
Will
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
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From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
